


Phobias

by citadelsushi



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Shenko - Freeform, but it's the first thing i've written in a long time, drabble more than a fic, some mention of gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-08 19:12:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15936551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citadelsushi/pseuds/citadelsushi
Summary: Shepard is afraid of the dark.





	Phobias

Shepard is afraid of the dark.

 

She knows it’s dumb. It’s a fucking silly thing, to be afraid of the dark. 

 

She’s seen the unimaginable: crawled through carnage, yet it’s shadows that wreak havoc on her mind.

 

It’s not monsters she’s afraid of, though at times it feels that way. Grotesque, vicious monsters reaching from below to wrap it’s tentacles around her, drag her to the depths of her imagination. Deep down to an ocean trench where the monsters  _ are _ real, where she watches the tentacles turn blue and drip with acid, and grow massive blades for arms that thrash wildly, stab the soil mere feet from where she stands on weak knees. 

 

The force of which sends her flying, careening toward a desert floor, where the last thing she sees before darkness falls is flesh melt off bones beneath a bubbling mask of maw spit, allies and friends turned to soup from which no identity or tags will be claimed. The air is thick with the scent of rancid flesh broiling in the sun and she is trapped in the dark, no choice but to listen to fallen soldiers sob, to pray for their gods to spare them; and eventually, pray to their gods to take them.

 

“Come on, I’ll go with you.” 

 

Shepard blinks, glances through her periphery, unwilling to take her eyes from the hallway across the room, as dark and bleak as the gaping maw of the beast in her mind. Slowly, Kaidan comes into focus, his eyes heavy with understanding, his smile gentle and easy as always.

 

He places a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

 

Shepard nods, stands only a second before she allows Kaidan guides her through the hall. Both hands on her shoulders now, supporting, steering, but not pushing. And Shepard stays well within his reach, back nearly touching his chest, eyes straight ahead and senses honed on the warmth from his hands, on the comfort he brings. Not only from body heat, but from understanding. 

 

It’s not the dark, it’s what the dark doesn’t show. What her mind makes up to fill in the shadows.


End file.
